breast only newborn..when can I introduce a bottle?

7 replies

mamaesi · 23/11/2011 18:16

I seem to remember advice about when to introduce expressed milk in a bottle...not too early or baby will prefer bottle...not too late or baby will refuse bottle.

When do you start with the expressed milk? Does it matter that my baby was born 36 weeks, slightly premature?

OP posts:

ALotToTakeIn · 23/11/2011 18:43

i asked this last week and the advice was varied but general concensus was not before breastfeeding is properly established. my DD had her 1st bottle a few days ago at 3 weeks and now has one a day from her daddy. i tried feeding her with the bottle last night and she refused- i guess the nearness of a warm boob was too much for her!
no idea if being preterm makes a difference sorry.

boohome · 23/11/2011 19:15

Being pre-term shouldn't make a difference.

DS was born at 34 weeks, and not discharged till 38 weeks, as it took until then to get him breastfeeding at all (and even then that was only with nipple shields), and the neo-natal nurses said to wait a fortnight before trying bottles to make sure breastfeeding was properly established.

pootlebug · 23/11/2011 20:27

I started around 6 weeks with my daughter. I wouldn't leave it several months, but wouldn't do it in the first 2 or 3 weeks either - longer if you've had problems getting the baby to latch/suck etc in the first place.

AlohaMama · 24/11/2011 07:10

Advice I heard is 4-6 weeks. I started at 4 weeks and it was fine. I know other mum's who have left it a few months and then have trouble getting baby to take the bottle. Also, once you introduce a bottle, it's a good idea to keep giving one at least every few days so they don't 'forget' how to take it.

Cinquefoil · 24/11/2011 07:23

I did it at around 4 weeks, I think. He was fine with it every day until 7 weeks, when he suddenly started refusing. I was sort of relieved, as I found expressing to be a bit tiresome.

lilham · 24/11/2011 08:36

Mine took a bottle 2-3 times a week from 4wks to 4mo. Then started refusing. It's quite common for them to start refusing once they are more aware.

nannyl · 24/11/2011 09:07

my baby had a bottle of dripped milk caught in breast shells at 6 days old as she had drunk me dry!

had another at about 10 days, and at 3 weeks stated breast milk top ups SOME evenings

from 5 weeks she has had a bottle of expressed milk every day. (now 10 weeks)

quite a few of my nct class waited until 4 -6 weeks and they cant get their babies to take bottles

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